Page 63 of Unrelenting
“News, Mamma?”
“Yes. I thought with the unexpected visit and you brought Lucia…”
She glances between her son and me, a hopeful expression on her face. I realize she thinks we have an announcement to make.
“No, Mamma, no news. We came to check you were alright after what happened last night.”
“Last night?” She frowns. “Oh, you mean the fire? That was nothing. I forgot the burner was on, that’s all.”
“It’s not nothing, Mamma. You could have been hurt.”
“But I wasn’t,” she protests.
“Regardless, you shouldn’t wander around at night.”
“But I couldn’t sleep,” Beatrice argues. “I needed some warm milk.”
“Then ask one of the staff.” Lorenzo is trying hard to be patient with his mother but it’s clear he’s worried about her.
Beatrice scowls. “I can heat my own milk, Lorenzo. I’m not a child.”
“I know you’re not, but some things are best left to the staff.” Lorenzo sighs as his mother pouts. He hands her the gift bag. “Here, I brought you some yarn.”
Beatrice looks into the bag and smiles, her entire face lighting up.
“Oh, good. I’ll make you a teddy bear.” She rakes through the contents of the bag. “And one for your brothers. White for you. Red for Damiano, I think and blue for Gabriele.” She looks up at Lorenzo, her expression hopeful. “Have you seen Gabriele?”
“Not for a while.”
“He doesn’t visit anymore.” Her blue eyes, so similar to Lorenzo’s, glisten with tears. “He isn’t dead, is he?”
“No, Mamma, he’s not dead.”
“You’d tell me if he died?”
“Of course I would, Mamma,” Lorenzo assures her, “but he’s not dead. He’s fine.”
Beatrice relaxes back against her pillows. “I just worry, that’s all. I worry about all my boys.” She sits up again. “I don’t want any of you to die. My baby boys. Do you work, Lucia?”
The sudden change of subject catches me off guard. “Uh, yes, I run my own restaurant.”
“Oh, good.” Beatrice sounds relieved. “You can take care of Lorenzo. Make sure he eats right.”
“I have no trouble feeding myself,” Lorenzo says. “It’s not Lucia’s job to take care of me.”
Beatrice nods. “Have you seen Gabriele?”
I glance at Lorenzo as she repeats the question she asked less than a minute ago. He just smiles and shakes his head. “Not lately, Mamma.”
“Oh.” She turns away. Reaching across to the nightstand on the other side of the bed, she grabs a box of chocolates that’s sitting there. As she struggles into an upright position, her nightdress shifts a little, and I glimpse a scar at her collarbone. “Here, Lucia. Have a chocolate.”
She offers me the box, and I take one, popping it in my mouth. The chocolate is divine. Smooth and creamy, it has a salted caramel center.
Beatrice smiles when I murmur appreciatively and holds the box out to Lorenzo.
He shakes his head. “I don’t want to spoil my lunch. Agnesca is cooking.”
“Oh, are we having lunch? I’m not dressed.”
